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Sensory processing disorder?

2014

Hi everyone,

I was wondering whether anyone has done work
with children with sensory processing disorder, especially very young
children (ages 3/4/5)? And, can you point me to some resources (online)
or provide any suggestions for managing the behaviour of childen with
SPD? I would be very interested in knowing whether there are programmes
specifically for children with SPD or related issues, and find some
information on how those programmes work, what models they use, etc.

Thanks,
Werner van der Westhuizen
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
...

Morning Werner,

Are you connected to linked in? I am sure that I saw
something on Linked in, peripherally.

Antoinette Meyer
...

Hi,

Are you working with an Occupational Therapist? I
have been to various workshops on the "sensory diet" you may find
information online if you look that up but it is important to work with
the interdisciplinary team especially the OT.

And a brief article about how my program has used a
sensory room to eliminate seclusion and support the nurturing of
self-regulation: Freeman, J. (2013). The use of sensory activity in
de-escalation. Relational Child & Youth Care Practice, 26(4),
72-73.

Good luck!
James Freeman
Southern California USA
...

Hi Werner,

I think this is also referred to as “sensory
integration difficulties” which seems to have some relationship to mild
forms of autism. A young boy I know experienced this when a
pre-schooler. He would become almost hysterical during haircuts, when he
heard a horse neighing, walking on grass barefoot, wearing woolly
jumpers … Certain food textures also caused problems. He was referred to
an occupational therapist (there are several who specialise in sensory
integration difficulties in South Africa). One of the things which was
used was a surgical brush to brush certain areas of the body in a
particular way. The OT also indicated that many children grow out of it.
The child had several sessions with the OT but not longer than a few
months. He is now 13-years old and there are no further indications of
sensory difficulties as far as I know.

I am currently a student Mount Royal University, located in Calgary,
Alberta, Canada, in the Child and Youth Care Counselor Diploma program
and within this we are required to complete a certain number of hours in
a practicum placement. For my placement, I am in a Child Development
Centre, working with ages of children 3-5. This Development Centre is
for children whose parents have gone through the Nurturing Parent
classes and are considered low income, or who face other difficulties.
Within this Development Centre there is a range of issues that these
children have. One of the main issues I have seen is children with
sensory issues. These issues range from children that are sensitive to
sound and sensitive to touch and textures. Within this the biggest topic
we have been talking about with Occupational Therapies is the issues
around primary movement patterns (or primitive reflex patterns).

In a recent group workshop with our Occupational Therapist, we talked
about different tools and activities that we can use with the children
to help them build on their reflexes. Such tools are known as
manipulatives (magnetic boards with shapes to form letters), short tools
(such as pens, pencils, and crayons that are smaller for their hands),
scissors that are fit for children and learning how to cut, and hair gel
(this is used in Ziploc bags with food colouring and sparkles for the
child to squish). During this workshop we also discussed the 5 primary
movement patterns (or the primitive reflex patterns). These movement
patterns are known to impact day-to-day development as the child ages.
As children come to this development centre we are able to help them
reshape their motor patterns because of the neuroplasticity of their
brain. These 5 primary movement patterns are:

1. Moro – This is the “Fight or
Flight” and provides for protective extension (involuntary reaction to
threat)
2. Tonic Labyrinthine – This forms
the basis for postural tone, moving head and maintaining balance
3. Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex
(STNR) – This is the change of head position causing change of arm
position
4. Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex
(ATNR) – This facilitates rotation; prepares the body for rolling and
crawling; hand-eye coordination
5. Gallant – This breaks up the trunk
of the body against extremity movement

There are numerous reasons why a child's primary movement patterns are
not developed for their age. Two key items that we had discussed were:

a) That strollers and car seats are
becoming overused with infants. As these positions only allow the child
to be sitting or laying on one plane, they are not getting the movement
they need in order to help these reflexes form. The
recommended form for babies is to be "worn" by their parent in baby
‘backpacks’, as this allows the child not only to help build on their
reflexes, but they are also connected to more sensory items (such as the
touch, warmth, sound, movement of the parent) as they are against their
parent.
b) Children are receiving too much screen
time, either through TV, Iphones, or Ipads and not enough stimulation
through play, music, or reading.

Sheila Flick, who is an Occupational Therapist in the USA, has provided
workshops for organizations that use Occupational Therapy as a way to
help the children that they work with. Sheila’s idea of “stacking the
odds for success” was the main theme throughout the workshop that I
attended (lead by a different occupational therapist).

Great question and from what I have experienced
there are Occupational Therapists that are still attempting to utilize
unproven, expensive products that do little to help (Weighted vests,
brushing, Sensory Integration etc..) They all sound just and have
wonderful theories as to why they are purported to work. Attempt to
steer away from studies that have obvious conflicts of interest, rather
seek out gold standard " Double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled
studies". You will find very few. I do know that this research had been
done on Sensory integration and the O.T journal themselves found little
evidence of the effectiveness in the techniques. Some may in fact work
and I go by the (Time X money X harm ratio) If the technique is cheap ,
takes little time, and can do no harm why not try it if the client
consents. As for brushing be wary as it takes a enormous amount of time,
and I question the ethics of such intense contact by adults and
sometimes strangers of a vulnerable population.

All the best.
Jason Guay
Niagara
________

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